Video: Joshua, Molina Go Face To Face at Press Conference

Video by Declan Taylor

As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, Anthony Joshua will defend his IBF world heavyweight title against American Eric Molina on December 10.

The announcement ends weeks of speculation over Joshua’s next opponent after a prospective bout against Wladimir Klitschko was scuppered by a combination of boxing politics and a minor injury sustained by the Ukrainian.

The 34-year-old Texan has won 25 of his 28 career bouts and stretched WBC champion Deontay Wilder to the ninth round before being stopped in June last year.

“There is no Heavyweight in the world that has bounced back like I have,” said Molina. “That’s the man that Joshua faces on December 10 and that man is a very dangerous one.

“He’ll fight the toughest Molina that anybody has ever seen, just like Adamek fought the toughest Molina. I’m confident. These type of fights don’t shake me up, I’m a very strong mental fighter. I know exactly what I’ve got to do to prepare myself in the amount of time. I know exactly what I’ve got to do, mentally, physically, to go there and perform.

“When you walk out into the atmosphere, half the battle is the mental battle, and if you can stay in the moment mentally you have a shot in any fight.”

Joshua beat Dominic Breazeale in seven rounds in his last fight in June, having won the title over a woefully outclassed Charles Martin two months earlier.

If Molina does not represent the big-name draw he was hoping for, he will at least provide a direct comparison to a potential future foe in Wilder.

Molina, who earned his shot after an impressive stoppage of an admittedly fading Adamek in Krakow, said: “There is no heavyweight in the world who has bounced back like I have.

Former world title challenger Dereck Chisora continues his quest to return to the title picture as he takes on former Joshua foe Dillian Whyte for the British heavyweight title.

Scott Quigg will make his debut at featherweight as he returns for the first time since suffering a broken jaw in his world title defeat to Carl Frampton in February

And Birmingham’s Kal Yafai will challenge WBA super-flyweight Luis Concepcion on the undercard.